Once everything is connected and powered, the VM-50 offers internal 96kHz digital signal processing for low and high frequencies. These EQ settings are meant to compensate for the speakers’ placement in a room, the room’s reverberation, or personal preference. The Low EQ settings are Room 1, Flat, Room 2, and Club Bass (offering a bump at 50Hz), while the similar High EQ settings include Room 1, Flat, Room 2, and Bright Treble (nudging the 4kHz and 8kHz regions). These settings apply different frequency boost, or gain settings, and both the Low and High settings include one attenuation curve, one neutral setting, one heavy boost curve, and one more subtle boost curve. Purists beware, the digital filters can’t be bypassed, but there isn’t limiting in the signal chain, and the Flat settings aren’t overly sculpted—plus, the tone control flexibility is nice because no rooms or ears are the same. The VM-50 manual offers more information on determining which settings best suit your setup. Can these monitors keep the beat? Rather than test these in the Digital DJ Tips studio as I normally would, I set them up in my tiny home studio, because it is DJ/producers at home who these are primarily aimed at, so I thought it would be a fairer test. Switch to Production mode and the Pioneer DM-50D change gears easily. This mode loses the warmth of DJ mode and gains more neutrality in the process; clearer, more detailed and incisive, with vocals and instruments described more articulately. There’s also more distinct separation across the frequency range for better timing and balance over what I heard with DJ mode, along with the ability to sift through and relay the details of music I was streaming from Qobuz and Tidal. Vocals in particular sound crisper and cleaner. If an item can not be repaired, a similar alternative product or cash discount (as defined in this policy) will be offered

Max dimensions (W x D x H): Lch: 175 x 262 x 257 mm / 6.89” x 10.32” x 10.12”, Rch 175 x 262 x 247 mm / 6.89” x 10.32” x 9.72”

Each VM-50 monitor includes a standard three-prong AC power cable. For connecting audio sources, you have a balanced combo input for either XLR or TRS (¼-inch) cables and an unbalanced input for RCA cables. Having inputs for all three of those cable types should be a standard monitor feature, yet a surprising number of studio monitors leave out either the RCA or the TRS connectivity, so that’s a plus for the VM-50. The Production mode offers more of a flourish in terms of dynamism, more faithfully reproducing those highs and lows in music. Unlike the DJ mode, bass takes on a more reined-in quality to its performance, tauter and less weighty. Do away with agonising over whether the speaker monitors are suitable for DJing or making music, as the DM-50Ds are ideal for both. You can select either DJ mode or music production mode thanks to a clever little switch on the DM 50D speakers. As a result, the DSP settings will automatically adjust and optimise, leaving you to concentrate on the music. DM-50D Connections Before we discuss how the speakers sound, we first must explain Pioneer's so-called digital sound processing (DSP) modes. The phrase DSP rightly strikes fear in the hearts of most sound engineers—you want to mix on a transparent system that doesn’t include any dynamic compression or signal chain limitations. It's perhaps better to think of the two modes here (Production and DJ) as "voicing options.” The Production setting adds a bit more emphasis to the human voice frequency range, and slightly rolls off some of the lower frequencies; this is technically not a flat response, but it does result in better clarity. The DJ mode, by comparison, has a slightly fuller response in the bass frequencies and a bit less crispness in the high-mids and highs. The difference, however, isn't obvious.

The Pioneer DJ DM-50D are powerful 5-inch 2-way bass reflex, active desktop monitor speakers. The speakers contain elements of the prevalent DM-40 units in addition to new features and components. As a result, the DM50Ds are robust and produce crystal clear quality sound. The speaker units are easy to use, tune and set up, are available in two colours, and sold as a pair. Innovative Features With 96kHz sampling, updated DECO convex diffusers and crystal clear and balanced sound, whether you're looking to play DJ sets at home or produce your own music, the Pioneer DM-50D Active Monitor Speakers are the ultimate choice. Deliveries will be made subject to the terms and conditions of the courier company. djkit.com will not be held responsible for late deliveries. Not surprisingly, the larger Rokit 6 and T8V monitors are quite noticeably bassier than the VM-50, even with Pioneer DJ’s “Club Bass” EQ setting engaged. But that’s to be expected because, with the smaller 5.25-inch woofer, the VM-50 can’t push as much air physically to get the same bass response as larger monitors. The Rokit 6s are also known for having a bassy bias, and both the Rokit 6s and the T8Vs have a lower frequency response and more power allocated to their woofer than the VM-50 woofer’s 30W. The VM-50’s bass was clean and correct but doesn’t punch like some. Pioneer DJ’s VM series is a pro-focused range that includes both the VM-50 studio monitors and the studio-grade RM-05 5-inch monitor, as well as the prosumer-leaning DM-40 and DM-40BT (a Bluetooth-enabled model) 4-inch desktop speakers. The VM Series features powered speakers, meaning they do not need an external amplifier, just a clean power source for the integrated Class D amplifier, which promises to deliver a 40Hz to 36kHz frequency response.Updated from the older DM-40 model are the DECO Convex diffusers seated around the tweeter. These are effectively a waveguide to help spread high-frequency sounds from the tweeter in every direction for a wider sweet spot. One last VM-50 distinction is also unusual among studio monitors. The edges of the soft dome tweeter’s “constant directivity horn” and the Aramid fiber woofer cone are equal width. Pioneer DJ claims this shaped design will “enable smooth frequency crossover and a natural sound.” The results of my listening tests did find a flat frequency response and broad soundfield falling in line with that statement, whether or not it has anything to do with that particular design element. The VM-50’s rear panel includes a bass port, connections, and DSP controls. Markkus Rovito Setting up the Pioneer DJ VM-50 However, the Gear4music extended warranty scheme provides an enhanced service, and is designed to offer a higher level of protection than many 'free' warranties offered by some retailers and manufacturers.

On that point, you may reasonably ask yourself why DJs and producers need slightly different types of sound from their speakers. It might seem like the ideal sound for both would be similar, especially if you plan to mix and produce similar types of music, but consider for a moment the difference in sound between a club system and a pro studio. A club system should be loud, punchy, engaging and vibey; perfect accuracy isn’t necessarily the point. On the other hand, pro studio monitors don’t necessarily sound fun to listen to, but they’re analytical, precise and revealing when making music. As far as the DJ/producer switch goes, shoot me but I really didn’t notice an awful lot of difference. It is meant to give you a bit more bass when DJing and a flatter frequency response when producing, but really where you set this is going to be down to personal preference.When I’m producing at home, I spend most of my time doing it on headphones, for which I keep a noise cancelling pair (for when the kids/family are in the house) and a non-noise-cancelling pair (for when they’re in bed!). My use of speakers is limited to when I’m DJing, playing music, or producing music when the house is totally empty – which is rarely! The DM-50Ds – which are also available in white– slot into the brand’s DM range above the existing DM-40s and the Bluetooth-equipped DM-40BTs. All three models are supplied as pairs, meaning you get everything you need in one box, ready to plug into a suitable mixer, controller, computer/mobile device or audio interface, depending on what you’re looking to achieve. The unique selling point of the DM-50D is that they feature what Pioneer call a two-way sound mode, allowing you to switch between settings for DJing and production use; the speakers include digital sound processing hardware which alters the frequency response and overall sound accordingly. Both speakers house a 3/4-inch soft dome tweeter and a 5-inch fiberglass-cone woofer. Internally, the Class D amplifier that drives the speakers delivers 25W per channel, with a frequency range of 54Hz to 30kHz and an impedance of 10 ohms. Ports on the front (below the woofers) improve the airflow. Both modes sound very good, with the DJ mode producing a convincing stereo image that’s spacious, detailed and with good depth. The DM-50D live up to Pioneer DJ’s claims of tight but weighty bass; the low-end of the frequency is provided good detail and clarity, while at the other end the speakers deliver bright and expressive treble reproduction. Those differences in power come with corresponding differences in physical size, so the VM-50 is significantly smaller and lighter than the other VM series monitors. The VM-50 weighs just over 12 pounds, measuring approximately 12H x 8W x 10D inches. Meanwhile, the VM-70 weighs about 17 pounds with approximate dimensions of 13H x 9W x 12D inches, and the VM-80 weighs over 22 pounds with approximate dimensions of 16H x 11W x 13D inches. The Pioneer DJ VM-50’s design